Zoe Saldana Is Above The Nina Simone Biopic Hate [VIDEO]

Zoe Saldana has been surrounded by controversy since it was announced she would be replacing Mary J. Blige in the Nina Simone biopic. Many fans were angry because Saldana is much lighter than Simone who was a champion of embracing darker skin. However, Zoe is flying above the drama.

HipHollywood spoke to the “Colombiana” star at a pre-Oscar party about the backlash involving her role. Saldana said, “”I guess what kept me from being hurt by the negative comments was that I’m doing it for my sistas and my brothas and I don’t care who tells me I’m not this or I’m not that, I know who I am and I know what Nina Simone means to me.” Part of the reason people were angry Zoe replaced Blige is because she doesn’t claim her black roots in public, but proudly wears her Hispanic heritage on her sleeve.

Despite people feeling like Saldana isn’t proud of her black heritage, she refutes those claims. “I did it all out of love for my people and my pride of being a black woman and a Latina woman and an American woman and that’s my truth,” she concluded.

What do you think? Has the black community been too cynical? Despite their differences, do you think Zoe Saldana will be able to do Nina Simone justice?